The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
Chapter 37
Toh 9
Degé Kangyur, vol. 26 (shes phyin, nyi khri, ka), folios 1.b–382.a; vol. 27 (shes phyin, nyi khri, kha), folios 1.b–393.a; and vol. 28 (shes phyin, nyi khri, ga), folios 1.b–381.a
Imprint
Translated by the Padmakara Translation Group
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2023
Current version v 1.1.14 (2024)
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84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha is a global non-profit initiative to translate all the Buddha’s words into modern languages, and to make them available to everyone.
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Table of Contents
Summary
The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines is among the most important scriptures underlying both the “vast” and the “profound” approaches to Buddhist thought and practice. Known as the “middle-length” version, being the second longest of the three long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras, it fills three volumes of the Kangyur. Like the two other long sūtras, it records the major teaching on the perfection of wisdom given by the Buddha Śākyamuni on Vulture Peak, detailing all aspects of the path to enlightenment while at the same time emphasizing how bodhisattvas must put them into practice without taking them—or any aspects of enlightenment itself—as having even the slightest true existence.
Acknowledgements
Translation by the Padmakara Translation Group. A complete draft by Gyurme Dorje was first edited by Charles Hastings, then revised and further edited by John Canti. The introduction was written by John Canti. We are grateful for the advice and help received from Gareth Sparham, Greg Seton, and Nathaniel Rich.
This translation is dedicated to the memory of our late colleague, long-time friend, and vajra brother Gyurme Dorje (1950–2020), who worked assiduously on this translation in his final years and into the very last months of his life. We would also like to express our gratitude to his wife, Xiaohong, for the extraordinary support she gave him on so many levels.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of Kris Yao and Xiang-Jen Yao, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Text Body
Chapter 37
“Blessed Lord, what will be the nature of those bodhisattva great beings who will have conviction in this profound perfection of wisdom? What will be their indications, signs, and forms?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “those bodhisattva great beings who will have conviction in this profound perfection of wisdom will have a nature that is isolated, owing to their elimination of desire. Those bodhisattva great beings [F.318.b] will have a nature that is isolated, owing to their elimination of hatred and delusion. Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings will have a nature that is isolated from the indications of desire. Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings will have a nature that is isolated from the indications of hatred and delusion.
“Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings will have a nature that is isolated from the signs of desire. Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings will have a nature that is isolated from the signs of hatred and delusion. Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings will have a nature that is isolated from the forms of desire. Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings will have a nature that is isolated from the forms of hatred and delusion.” {Ki.IV: 107}
“Blessed Lord, what will be the disposition of those bodhisattva great beings who comprehend this profound perfection of wisdom?”
“Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings who comprehend this profound perfection of wisdom will have the disposition of all-aspect omniscience,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord, will those bodhisattva great beings who have the disposition of all-aspect omniscience be supportive of beings?”
“Subhūti, it is so! It is so!” replied the Blessed One. “Those bodhisattva great beings who have the disposition of all-aspect omniscience will be supportive of beings.”
“Blessed Lord, those bodhisattva great beings achieve that which is difficult, donning this armor and proclaiming that they should bring all beings to final nirvāṇa, although they do not apprehend beings or anything designated as a being.”
“Subhūti, it is so! It is so!” replied [F.319.a] the Blessed One. “Those bodhisattva great beings who have donned this armor, proclaiming that they should bring all beings to final nirvāṇa, achieve that which is difficult.
“Subhūti, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is not associated with physical forms. If you ask why, Subhūti, physical forms are absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is said not to be associated with physical forms. Subhūti, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is not associated with feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. If you ask why, Subhūti, consciousness [and so forth] are absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is said not to be associated with consciousness [and so forth].
“Subhūti, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is not associated with the sense fields, the sensory elements, or the links of dependent origination. If you ask why, Subhūti, the links of dependent origination [and so forth] are absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is said not to be associated with the links of dependent origination [and so forth].
“Subhūti, this armor is not associated with the self. It is not associated with beings. It is not associated with life forms. It is not associated with living creatures. It is not associated with life. It is not associated with individual personalities. It is not associated with human beings. It is not associated with people. It is not associated with actors. It is not associated with experiencers. It is not associated with knowers, and it is not associated with viewers. If you ask why, Subhūti, [F.319.b] viewers [and those other postulated subjects] are absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is said not to be associated with viewers [and so forth].
“Subhūti, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is not associated with the perfection of generosity. If you ask why, Subhūti, the perfection of generosity is absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor is said not to be associated with the perfection of generosity. Subhūti, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is not associated with the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, or the perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, Subhūti, the perfection of wisdom [and so forth] are absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor is said not to be associated with the perfection of wisdom [and so forth].
“Subhūti, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is not associated with the emptiness of internal phenomena. If you ask why, Subhūti, the emptiness of internal phenomena is absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor is said not to be associated with the emptiness of internal phenomena. Subhūti, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is not associated with [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities. If you ask why, Subhūti, the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities [and so forth] are absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor is said not to be associated with the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities [and so forth].
“Subhūti, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is not associated with the applications of mindfulness. If you ask why, Subhūti, [F.320.a] the applications of mindfulness are absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is said not to be associated with the applications of mindfulness. Subhūti, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is not associated with the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, or the noble eightfold path. If you ask why, Subhūti, the noble eightfold path [and so forth] are absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor is said not to be associated with the noble eightfold path [and so forth].
“Subhūti, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is not associated with [the fruitional attributes and goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience. {Ki.IV: 108} If you ask why, Subhūti, all-aspect omniscience [and so forth] are absolutely nonexistent, as indeed is the armor of the bodhisattvas nonexistent. Accordingly, this armor of bodhisattva great beings is said not to be associated with all-aspect omniscience [and so forth].
“Subhūti, the armor of those bodhisattva great beings who practice this profound perfection of wisdom and who don the armor, proclaiming that they themselves should bring all beings to final nirvāṇa, is not associated with anything.”
“Blessed Lord, bodhisattva great beings who wear the armor, proclaiming that they should bring all beings to final nirvāṇa, should not be in fear of the two abodes, which are the level of the śrāvakas and the level of the pratyekabuddhas. Blessed Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who wear the armor, proclaiming that they should bring all beings to final nirvāṇa, have no chance of lapsing into the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas. [F.320.b] That could not happen! If one were to ask why, bodhisattva great beings do not don this armor for the sake of beings limited by boundaries.”
The Blessed One asked, “Considering what objective do you say, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings who wear such armor and practice this profound perfection of wisdom should not be in fear of the two abodes, which are the level of the śrāvakas and the level of the pratyekabuddhas?”
“Blessed Lord, it is because bodhisattva great beings have not donned this armor for the sake of a small or limited number of beings. They have not donned this armor for the sake of small or limited knowledge. If one were to ask why, Blessed Lord, bodhisattva great beings have donned this armor in order that they might bring all beings to final nirvāṇa. Blessed Lord, bodhisattva great beings have donned this armor for the sake of the wisdom of all-aspect omniscience.”
“Subhūti, it is so! It is so!” replied the Blessed One. “Bodhisattva great beings have not donned this armor for the sake of a small or limited number of beings. They have not donned this armor for the sake of small or limited knowledge. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings have donned this armor in order that they might bring all beings to final nirvāṇa, and for the sake of the wisdom of all-aspect omniscience.”
“Blessed Lord, this perfection of wisdom is absolutely profound. It should not be cultivated by anyone. There is nothing that should be cultivated, and there is nothing in which it should be cultivated. If one were to ask why, {Ki.IV: 109} [F.321.a] Blessed Lord, in this profound perfection of wisdom one can apprehend nothing absolutely existent that cultivates, nothing that is to be cultivated, and nothing by which cultivation is made. Blessed Lord, the cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the cultivation of space. Blessed Lord, so it is that the cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the cultivation of all phenomena. Blessed Lord, so it is that the cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the cultivation of the nonexistent. Blessed Lord, so it is that the cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the cultivation of nonappropriation. Blessed Lord, so it is that the cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of cultivation.”454
“In that case, Subhūti,” asked the Blessed One, “with respect to which phenomena is the cultivation of the perfection of wisdom a breaking down of cultivation?”
“Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of physical forms. Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness. Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination. Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of the self. Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of sentient beings, life forms, living beings, life, living creatures, individual personalities, human beings, people, actors, experiencers, knowers, and viewers. [F.321.b]
“Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of the perfection of generosity. Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom. Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of the emptiness of internal phenomena. Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentities.
“Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of the applications of mindfulness. Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path. Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways. {Ki.IV: 110}
“Blessed Lord, this cultivation of the perfection of wisdom is the breaking down of the cultivation of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, [F.322.a] the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.